Getting More Value from Conference Keynote Speakers June 29, 2016 by Dave Lutz Not long ago, becoming a professional speaker was a third step in a thought leaders career path. Many built their expertise in an industry or function, shifted to consulting and then wrote a book to launch their speaking career. In today’s digital age, the path to creating a thought leader platform, leading to speaking gigs, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , engagement, keynote, meeting planning best practices, professional speakers, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker selection
Lose the PPT Template May 20, 2016 by Dave Lutz Many conference organizers are actively seeking and experimenting new learning formats and innovative room sets. Both are worthwhile quests to improve conference learning and participant value. If this describes your organization, strike while the iron is hot and discontinue mandating usage of your conference’s PowerPoint template. The brand police at your company won’t like this … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , adult learning, industry speaker, PowerPoint, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker tips, visuals
Speakers: Covering Content Actually Obscures Understanding September 26, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Education is one way to improve ourselves personally and professionally. Whenever we find ourselves lacking knowledge, understanding or skills for a specific job task, we take a class. Or attend a conference. Or participate in a webinar. Or read a book. Sounds really simple. Right? Well, it’s not. The challenge with most education is our … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , active learning, adult education, adult learning principles, adult learning strategies, covering content, education best practices, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker tips
Time To Face This Ironic Truth: We Do Not Learn From Experience September 10, 2014 by Jeff Hurt There, I said it. People do not learn from experience. You may think you learn from experience but… People only learn from reflecting on their experience. That’s the point author, facilitator and educator Sivasailam “Thiagi” Thiagarajan drives home in his writings and workshops. The Key To Learning From An Experience If people learn from experience, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult learning, adult learning principles, debriefing, education best practices, presentation strategies, reflection, reflective thinking, Speaker Emerging Practices
Conference Improvement Means People Improvement June 2, 2014 by Jeff Hurt The quality of a conference’s education program cannot exceed the quality of its speakers. The message is simple. What speakers do during keynotes, breakouts, concurrents, symposiums and workshops, matters. The greatest variance in our conferences relates to our presenters. In short, a conference education program cannot give what it does not have. If it doesn’t … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, Speaker Emerging Practices
These Conference Presentation Myths Cramp The Attendee Experience November 19, 2013 by Jeff Hurt Most conference organizers see attendees as consumers of the conference’s information. Little thought is given to seeing attendees as active participants in their own learning and experience. 8 Myths That Restrict The Attendee Experience Here are eight conference presentation myths that you should avoid. Myth 1: The lecture or panel best serves all conference attendees. … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , active learning, active participation, association, conferences, Education & Adult Learning, engagement, learning myths, meeting planner, presentation myths, Speaker Emerging Practices
Your Conference Speakers’ Skills Gap Is Causing You To Lose Money April 4, 2013 by Jeff Hurt The majority of your conference speakers have a major skills gap! They are relying on pedagogical mimicry–presenting the same way that their teachers taught them. That causes you and your conference to rely solely on a foundation of mimicry for education success. And this foundation is the exact the opposite of what your speakers should … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Conference Education Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, industry speaker, professional speakers, speaker, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker tips
Seeing The Conference Keynote As A Voyage To Human Transformation April 24, 2012 by Jeff Hurt As a conference organizer, what’s your goal when you secure a speaker for a keynote presentation? Motivation? Humor? Inspiration? Education? To provoke? Entertainment? Complete a schedule? Kickoff an event? Benefiting The Attendees If you are really dedicated to helping your conference attendees benefit from a keynote presentation, doesn’t it make sense to know as much … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, keynote, presentation best practices, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker tips
Why You Should Not Hire A Speaker That Will Alienate Part Of Your Audience April 4, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Learning is a fragile thing. It is a biological process that happens in the brain. Provide the wrong stimulus and the brain responds by shutting down the learning process and instead protecting the human body. In order for people to learn something, their basic needs have to be met first. They must feel like the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, general sessions, meeting planning best practices, Speaker Emerging Practices
Why Risky Conference Speakers Can Lead To Failed Learning April 3, 2012 by Jeff Hurt What do well-informed town halls and WWE’s “Friday Night SmackDown” have in common? A lot more than you would think. In 2009, both Friday Night SmackDown and healthcare town halls were sold out. Both witnessed a staged, well-rehearsed, public feud that was more about sensationalism than fact. During those healthcare town halls, two opposing sides … [Read more…] Filed Under: Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, general sessions, meeting planning best practices, Speaker Emerging Practices
